The Little Red Brick Show (SG50 Edition)

Have you heard about The Little Red Brick?

Founded in 2013, The Little Red Brick is a Singapore-based LEGO Users Group (LUG) that aims to engage the local building community and creating an environment conducive to sharing of building techniques and creations ( Source : The Little Red Brick)

The group also organise an annual show. This year, they present The Little Red Brick Show: SG50 edition that features familiar Singapore icons of past and present. Being an AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego), when I heard these icons will be recreated using LEGO, I just had to see the creations with my own eyes.

Aug 9 1965

Given that this is SG50, there are heavy Singapore influence in each creations. Initially I thought the recent LEGO Rebuild your SG is hard to beat. After a visit to The Little Red Brick Show at National Library @ Bugis , I would think that THIS is the LEGO event you should see to be immerse in the spirt of SG50.

Ah Khong Table

OLD VS NEW
The 50 displays by the local LEGO community is breathtaking.The only downside was that description for each creation was missing. Some of them are pretty obvious references to parts of Singapore while others need a little bit of history knowledge. Given that I practically grew up with Singapore, let me try to interpret each creation from a local eye.

Update (0508) - Signages with description is now up! 

SAMSUI WOMEN

In the Beginning

One of the creation that caught my eye was the Samsui women. Do you know early Singapore is build by them?

Fact : Samsui women played a big part in the construction of the first HDB flat in Singapore. To have a creation to acknowledge their work is perfect for SG50.

LEGO Samsui Woman

THE RED HOUSE CONFECTIONARY

Katong Bakery & Confectionary Co

This red iconic building in East Coast Rd was famous for its traditional cakes and pasteries. It had since been redevelop as part of a condo known as The Red House.

PERANAKAN HOUSES

This is probably my favourite piece on display. The colourful facade on the Peranakan houses resembles the restored houses along Koo Seng Road. The details were simply beautiful.

NATIONAL LIBRARY @ STAMFORD ROAD

National Library @ Stamford Road

The National Library at Stamford road was build in 1960. It was widely deem as a historical building. Thus when news came that it will be demolished for the Fort Canning Tunnel, there were much displeasure amongst the masses. Even the hawker center which served up the best hawker food in town was not spared.

This recreation will definitely bring back fond memories especially to those who are born in the 1970s and 1980s. Before the era of internet and iPad, books were the youth's main source of information. It was no surprise that the National Library proved to be a popular place. Many romances also bloomed from within.

Check out the back details

BOAT QUAY HAWKER CENTER

Boat Quay Hawker Center

Before Boat Quay became Boat Quay, there existed a hawker center that was a popular joint amongst office workers in the vicinity. It was demolished in 1993 and recreated in this event.There are several other buildings on display. Unfortunately I could not identify some of them. Do share in the comment if you can identify them.

Can you identify these?

VEHICLES OF THE PAST

Vehicles of the past

There are also vehicles from the past on display. Look out for the SBS bus and the old Fire Engine

Fire Engine

Train lovers will like the recreated KTM trains.

SINGAPORE SKYLINE

Singaproe Skyline

The Singapore skyline including boat quay is another jaw dropping creation. If you look close enough, you can even spot Sir Stamford Raffles there!

NEW PARLIAMENT HOUSE

Separately the New Parliament house was recreated on its own.


PINNACLE @ DUXTON

Forget the SG50 Lego HDB, the Pinnacle @ Duxton build from LEGO is THE HDB to have.

NEW SBS

Other structures such as PSA, playground, tower block ,lighthouses and many more are now display.

There is even a futuristic 'hospital' on display.

HANG OUT

Opera

In the past , opera and markets were places where people would 'hang out'

It had since progress to Mcdonalds today.

SINGAPORE ICONS

What is SG50 if you do not have familar Singapore icons on display?

MERLION and VR MAN

Merlion and VR Man

Every Singapore would know what the Merlion is. Can't say the same for the VR man.

CLAN SIGNS

1994 SINGAPORE SOCCER TEAM

It's 2015, but the 1994 Singapore Soceer team is still very much the talk of the town.
Why?

It was because they were considered the best Singapore soceer team that had won the coveted Malaysia Cup AND league. See David Lee, Fandi, Sundram, Steven Tan and Abbas Saad in action.

SINGA

SINGA may have resigned as the kindness mascot, but he still pops up every now and then to remind us to be gracious.

PLAY

Game and Watch

Before iPads, there was Game and Watch. Astro was also a popular toy amongst boys in the 1980s

Playground

And before indoor air conditioned playgrounds came to Singapore, our favourite playgrounds will be these iconic playgrounds found in HDB estate. Can you remember the Dragon, the Pelican, the Elephant or the Watermelon?

Some had already disappeared from our estates, leaving the LEGO replicas to relive the memories.

OUR WAY OF LIFE
CMPB DEMPSEY ROAD

BMT

Take a walk down memory lane with some of the original local creations.

SOC

As a guy who had served the army in the 80s, the CMPB Dempsey Road and the SOC Obstacles course were close to my heart. It sure brought back memories of National Service for me.

SOC

As 'fun' as the army was, it could never beat ZOUK.

Zouk

The youth of today would probably not remember Zouk like the older folks. However choping seats with tissue and taking photos of food before a meal would be the norm for them.

Amongst all the SG50 activities and events, this is one I liked the most. This SG50 edition brought back fond memories and will be one I highly recommend for both young and old to see a glimpse of Singapore past in LEGO.

Don't miss it!

SG50

The Little Details

The Little Red Brick Show (SG50 Edition)

National Library, Bugis

Aug 1-28